Cigarette case



March 2 1926.

E. GREGORY CIGARETTE CASE `Filed Dec. 29 1925 i riuaszf;V PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST GREGORY, OEDERBY, CONNECTICUT, AssIGNoR To yTIIE IiYoNs MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, F NEW HAVEN,

v NECTICUT, v

CONNECTICUT, CORPORATION or ooN- CIGAR'ETTE CASE.

'Application filed December 29, 1923. Serial N o. 683,408.

1'0 all toi/wm t may concern: Y f Be 'it' known that I, ERNEST GREGORY, a

, citizen of the United States, residing at Derby, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette Cases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in cigarette cases and refers more particularly to the ejecting mechanism thereof. f f

It is the object of this invention, among other things, to provide a cigarette case with an ejecting mechanism that will have great rigidity and strength and operate with ease and minimum friction; may be assembled as a unit and then connected with a part within said case; andin general, to produce mechanism of this character that will be compact, simple in its construction, and wherein the cost of production will be small but efliciency in operation high.

The improvements in the details and arrangement of parts will be apparent from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in connection with the description hereinafter contained, and wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed for the purpose of imparting a full understanding of the same.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference designate like parts in the several figures;

Figure 1 is a view of an inner plate of a cigarette case;

Figure 2 is an end view thereof showing iu dotted outline its relative lposition with the cigarette case;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 1 and of the cigarette case with `which the inner plate is connected, taken generally uponline 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the parts, taken generally upon line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, 10 designates the body of a cigarette case, 11 the cover thereof, which has a sliding engagement therewith, and 12 the inner plate, which is held in a fixed position within the body. This body,

cover and inner plate constitute no part of my present. invention, and `may be of any such design or shape as will readily suggest itself to any one versed in the art. v A

The inner plate is provided with a plurality of bosses 13, which rest against the inside of the-bottom of the body 10, whereby an open space is formed between the plate and body within which this mechanism is movably mounted. 'Ihe inner plate of the prior a-rt is modified by me, in that I provide an opening 14 therein for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

The lever mechanism shown comprises the ejecting lever 15 and the primary-lever 16,

both being formed with ribs 1,7"and 1S, -re.

spectively, which extend substantial-ly throughout the entire length of the lever, the latter rib having an offset portion 19 parallel with the offset farm 20 of the lever-16, which terminates at its outer end in a finger plate 21. The ejecting lever 15 terminates at its outer end in a finger plate 22, and at the opposite end there is au offset portion 23. This lever is pivotally connected with the inner plate 12 by the pintle 24. The off-- set portion 23 projects into and is movable within the opening 14 and pivotally connected with the inner end of the primary `lever 16 by the pintle 25 having a head 26l thereon, the outer end of which may be flush with the outer face of the primary lever.

A spring 27 connected with the primary lever 16 exerts its tension so as to hold and return the levers to substantially the position shown in Figure 1. Heretofore levers used in devices of this character have had contact throughout their entire width with the adjacent surfaces during their movement, thereby creating an unusual amount of friction, and unless lubricated are oper ated with difficulty and an excess of pressure. To overcome this objection I provide each lever with a friction rib, the top only of which rides against the adjacent surfaces instead of the full width of the lever, thus eliminating practically all `:friction and producing a device that requires no lubrication and operates freely and easily. In addition to this, these ribs give the levers added strength, which is also an advantage and prevent the levers from buckling if the levers, any of the parts, or the cigarettes be come jammed and tend to prevent free and easy movement of the ejector mechanism.

These levers have great strength, are movably but inseparately connected with the inner plate and with each other, and when so assembled are a unit. By this unitary structure there is no distigurement of the exterior of the cigarette case by projecting rivets or similar parts, and all of the parts are as sembled with the inner plate before the latter is inserted within the body of the cigarette case. The levers operate within the limited space between the bottom of the body and the inner plate and require no greater space for their operation than lever mechanism heretofore used in this type of mechaj nism, which have many vobjections that are overcome in the construction herein shown.

There are minor changes and alterations that may be made within my invention and I would therefore have it understood that I do not lilnit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but claim all that falls iairly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having` described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In mechanism of the character described; an inner plate having,` an opening` therethrough; an ejector lever pivotally connected thereto adjacent to said opening and having an oset portion projecting into said opening and movable therein; a primary lever; and a pivot connection between said primary lever and ejector lever at said otfset portion.

2.'In mechanism of the character described; a body; an inner plate'g'means for holding the inner plate in spaced relation with the bottom oi the body member; ejector mechanism, comprising companion levers, one of which is pivoted to the inner plate and a second lever to the leverpivotally connected with the plate, the thickness of the metal of the levers being less than that ot the open space between the bottom of the body and the inner plate and each lever being provided with a rib of substantially the same height as the open space between the unribbed portion of the levers and the bottom ot the body, whereby when the inner plate is positioned in the body the levers will substantially till the open space therebetween but be free to move therein with the iop of the ribs adjacent to one wall of said space and the unribbed `portion adjacent to the opposite wall thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto at lixed my signature.

ERNEsTfeREeoRY. 

